De cluttering numbers plan

[FloraDora]

Today is day 9 of my decluttering. In the first hour of every day of the last 9 days I have thrown away things.

Day 1 - 1 item - a big one that had to be thought about but that would start in a flamboyant confident way my latest attempt at down sizing my belongings, built up over the last 38 years with my DH. .......I choose a pair of shoes....leather and suede, pink ....waiting for that next suitable occasion, wedding, they have been in their original box for most of the 38 years and worn 6 times, always look great but never comfortable.....they have gone, first to the bin, then rescued and taken to a charity vintage clothes shop ( where I had to stop myself buying yet another bag that would be great for all my photo kit but looks like a normal bag).

Day 2 - 2 items....a very well worn casserole dish that has always been perfect for....?? And a grater that has seen better days.....but it is an Alessi....but doesn't work!!! Gone.

Day 3- 3 items and something from my wardrobe again....clogs, kept for gardening but really too good to garden, so never worn, a pair of court shoes that I wore on my interview that led me into management ...definately no qualms about them going, ...a pair of flip flops, free originally with a cosmopolitan magazine, worn on at least 15 holidays so no longer has a sole....but so comfortable......took some thought but, yes, they went.

Day4- 4 items - household - a lamp - the first ever IKEA purchase, metal, had a parchment shade...always thought it loked a bit moroccon....but never could find a lamp shade that fit after the parchment gave way. 2 lampshades, brand new, bought for the lamp but never fit and a vase that was cracked, my favourite at one time, perfect size ,shape and width for a small bunch of tulips....but no longer good at doing its proper job, what it was designed to do...

Day5- 5 items -wardrobe again.....easy...2 suits ..do they count as 2 or 4? I decide 2 so power jacket and favourite management cover all, comfortable dress, my first East purchase at least 15 years ago....one more item....keeping with the theme.....a big Radley bag that held laptop, filofax, lunch, battered everywhere, lining inked and torn, an old workhorse.......all to a charity shop, showed them bag and suggested it would probably be better binned....but no, it seems second hand, well used Radley has a great online ability to sell..... ( I could have made some money on this! But ...the charity is more in need).

And so on....

Today, Day 9 9 items- it's getting more difficult to do it in the first hour - this was my decision because I know how I think..and hoard and I felt this project would take over my thoughts if I didn't get it over with first thing in the morning. So, I needed to do it before Andrew Marr.....I opened my top drawer and chose 3 bras that have either seen better days or no longer fit. 2 pairs of Victoria's Secret pants, too lacy, too skimpy for my large bottom now, but lovely to look at - kept so that my undies drawer looks nice and doesn't make me think I have become comfortable and cottony. Second drawer down.......3 pairs of stockings and a pair of silky shiney tights, expensive, bought by mistake, not realising quite how shiney they would be! Done, easy peasy...but I spot what is going on Tuesday, my next wardrobe day , I will be tackling all the swim wear...from bikinis that are 45 years old to speedo racing backs .....can't wait.

Great project, I am doing it with friends, I have thrown away 45 things already...we have had such fun discussing and remembering.....It makes you feel so good! Not made an obvious visual impact yet ...but I have 3 years ...my current plan to start my proper retirement and gap years and down sizing dreams.

[shortstuff]

Oh wow! Well done. You are a better woman than I. I'm a hoarder trouble is so is OH :-(

[Maza]

Wow, that's an interesting way of doing it! I'm also in a decluttering mood. I've been tackling one cupboard or drawer over the last few days. I have started with the little drawers/cupboards though and am putting off the big cupboards like my wardrobe. It's the floor of my wardrobe which is a mess - childminding toys, presents box, clothes ready to give to my niece who I only see a few times a year, clothes for the charity shop etc. Hubby keeps threatening to sort it all out

Might tackle underwear drawer today - some sad contents in there. New bras are just so expensive though and I absolutely HATE bra shopping. I've also been saving plastic food trays and started using them to organise all the nik naks that I accumulate as I can't justify buying any more attractive storage boxes.

What number are you hoping to get to Floradora?

[FloraDora]

What number are you hoping to get to Floradora?[/QUOTE]

50 days - July 10th 1,275 items. I wanted to do 50 items, but not challenging enough.

The week after I am 'showing' my decluttered goods in a creative photographic way - around the theme of the number 50. My friends and I are having a supper party to share our project photos. ( somebody's 50th).
Though my author/commissioning editor in publishing friend thinks I should do 60 around my age and she wants me to write meaningfully about the articles I throw, history of, personality of the next owners etc... She sees a series - what happens to the items, who acquires them...an after story! Although if I did that I can see that I would angst over the articles I am throwing ! My old bras caused enough issues for me photographically, but they needed to go! ( I went for cryptic hooks and a bit of lace).

[Maza]

How creative Floradora! Well you have inspired me and I have just done my underwear cupboard (and gave the shelves a good clean after reading about dust mites following on from my cuddly toy post). I got rid of so many things - odd socks, itsy bitsy bikinis etc. When I am in a clearing out mood though I am not sure I could restrict myself to throwing out just one or two items. Still can't face my wardrobe though, or the shelves in it. I definitely have to save that for a day when my DD is at school.

Think I'll tackle the book shelves next - again that will have to wait until DD is in bed.

[FloraDora]

How creative Floradora! Well you have inspired me and I have just done my underwear cupboard (and gave the shelves a good clean after reading about dust mites following on from my cuddly toy post). I got rid of so many things - odd socks, itsy bitsy bikinis etc. When I am in a clearing out mood though I am not sure I could restrict myself to throwing out just one or two items. Still can't face my wardrobe though, or the shelves in it. I definitely have to save that for a day when my DD is at school.

Think I'll tackle the book shelves next - again that will have to wait until DD is in bed.

My inclin is to hoard so the numbers help, on a normal clear out none of the items this morning would have gone! But I HAD to choose 9 things - that made me! Also, I wouldn't have even thought about throwing today - this has made me do something about my clutter every day - a liitle bit at a time.
My wardrobe floor ️sounds similar - I have paper bags of potential recycled birthday bags and wrapping paper!

Like you - the dust has become more significant today - I have deep cleaned my sofa's this morning!

[Mouse]

I might suggest DH has a go at this. He is a dreadful hoarder, but does like numbers!

I'm pretty ruthless when I'm de-cluttering and I can see DH coming out in a cold sweat if I go anywhere near anything of his! Even when I promise it's only my stuff in the charity shop bags he still has to look through to see if I've put anything of his in!

The only thing I really have too much of now is childminding stuff and I am really struggling to de-clutter that. I go to my shed with good intentions, but start looking through things and decide that I'll keep most of it just in case I ever need it!

[natlou82]

This is a really great idea. Well done so far. Please keep us up to date with how it's going I may also do something similar ;-)

[sarah707]

We cleared out lots of clothes recently - so many things we simply don't wear - and lots of hangers to fill with new things

[Maza]

We cleared out lots of clothes recently - so many things we simply don't wear - and lots of hangers to fill with new things

It's amazing isn't it? My wardrobe is crammed with clothes and yet I wear the same four or five things all the time. Seriously need to sort the clothes.

[Mouse]

I find I sort out my wardrobe, send 2 or 3 big bags of stuff to the charity shop, but still don't have any room! I'm always left wondering how I fitted it all in in the first place!

[Maza]

I find I sort out my wardrobe, send 2 or 3 big bags of stuff to the charity shop, but still don't have any room! I'm always left wondering how I fitted it all in in the first place!

I know! How does it happen? I am also guilty of filling a bag for the charity shop but then the bag sits in the bottom of my wardrobe because I keep forgetting to drop it off, so the clothes never actually leave my wardrobe...

[VeggieSausage]

I seem to get rid of a bag of stuff to charity virtually every week - goodness knows how we still have a house full of stuff!!!

[Maza]

How did you get on today Floradora? I decluttered a shelf in my wardrobe (tops/t-shirts). I found a few tops that I had forgotten about so that was good. I challenged myself to get rid of 10 items. Nine were easy and then I forced myself to bin a black vest top. Yesterday I bought DD three new t-shirts and so I forced myself to get rid of three of her old ones (one on - one out atrategy). I binned one, tick, put another one in a bag for the charity shop (still in the bag and probably will be for the next few months, so not really a tick yet, and put the third one in a bag in my wardrobe to give to my little niece, so again not really a tick just yet.

Might do my trouser shelf tomorrow. I'm quite liking this 'do a little bit every day' approach.

[FloraDora]

11 things - wardrobe day - 2 bikinis from 1975! 4 swim suits . 3 t shirts linked with old school productions......and the bravest day so far.....my favourite trench coat - the buttons have been replaced at least 5 times since 1984 when I first purchased it.....but the slight padded shoulders are ridiculous now and I only wear it in the depth of winter walking and taking photos early morning or late at night - when nobody is around and cares what I wear. I have numerous others, but this one is comfy... But it's gone now....and there is so much more room in the coat wardrobe now as it was huge!
11th item - long black velvet skirt - I have made it into 2 capes and thrown the remainder of the fabric in the bin...so up cycled aswell today, not sure if that really counts - so that's why I threw the remnants out.
LO's watched as I made them - have worn them all day!

Tomorrow is 12 household items so I am going for our pine dresser contents and setting my alarm so that I manage it before LO's arrive....it will be a tricky morning as I am a bit of a ceramic collector.

Great that the project is inspiring you Maza.